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Students from the MSU College of Law presented a Housing Law clinic on October 21 in Lansing. Under the supervision of Professor Elan S. Nichols, students presented a “Veterans Housing Rights” seminar for the veteran’s support group at the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program.

MSU’s College of Law students helped veterans deal with subsidized housing issues and explained how to make the most of the landlord–tenant relationship. Twenty-five veterans attended the event and three students gave presentations. This is the first time a clinic of this type was offered by the MSU College of Law and they hope to make it an annual or quarterly clinic.

Because Veterans have special rights under housing laws and in government housing complexes, they were provided with free information to help them maintain safe and affordable housing arrangements for themselves and their families.

For more information, contact Professor Elan S. Nichols at the MSU College of Law or the Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing office in Lansing.

—Michelle Erskine

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MSU’s College of Law clinics run throughout the year, Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. -5 p.m, with as many as 20 law students working in any one semester. Other clinics offered by the MSU College of Law include Medical Marijuana and Rental Housing Rights, Small Business Non Profit Clinic, Community Economic Development Inclusiveness, and Tax Law . MSU’s College of Law Legal Clinic receives about 5-10 new calls and walk-ins dealing with housing issues per day and about 400-500 calls a semester. They also carry approximately 100-120 retained cases and limited "advice and counsel" matters, at maximum, during the August-May school year.